The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1932. PUBLIC WORKS.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 October 1932, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1932. PUBLIC WORKS.

The administration of the Public Works Department formed the subject of one of the recommendations of the National Expenditure Commission, in the course of which it was stated,, that one of the most urgent need's, to avoid the loss of public moneys was the substitution of the present system of departmental labour by private contract. The report goer, on to 8«v that it is necessary to consider whether it would rot he in the best interests of '‘be Dominion if the system of oai Hg out public works by day labour w ider the control of the department wtoiv abandoned.'WPMut wishing in any way to impute lack

of efficiency to the present organisation, we think- that one of the main objections to the system of the State engaging out of public works is that j it has developed an army 'of workmen who know no other employer than the State, and for whom it is increasingly difficult to find employment. We think it very undesirable that the Govcrnj ment should be the direct Employer of men engaged on public works. Jf works were let by contract the administrative staff of the> Public Works Department could be reduced to a minimum, the- expenditure on plant would largely disappear, and the department would escape the work, annoyance and dissatisfaction which result from the fact that eve 17 direct employee of the Government considers that he has the right to have his .grievances heard by the Government. Another disadvantage of the present system is that it- is very easy for tile Government to start perhaps small works with a view to relieving unemployment in any locality. Many works which when stapled are expected to be on a small scale have the disadvantage that as the work proceeds larger avmuea of expenditure are opened up, and what may bo a small job in the beginning ends up ini the expenditure of much larger sums than were originally contemplated, There would not be the ?same tendency under the contract system, and, moreover, the reversion to such a system should not have an adverse effect on the Unemployment situation, for it matters not whether men are employed by a contractor or by the Government. A distinct advantage of the contract system would be that -a- greater. degree -of certainty with regard to the final cost of construction works would be obtained. That this is a factor of considerable importance is clear from evidence we have obtained as to the estimated cost of various works land the final cost.